Josie, an English Retriever plays in the snow as her owners, Dawn and Mark Lundblad walk a snow-covered Sandy Cove Drive, Sunday, December 9, 2018 in Morganton, N.C. Over a foot of snow fell in the area creating a winter wonderland. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Winter storm causes icy roads across swath of South

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December 09, 2018 06:33 PM EST

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday — causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses to hundreds of thousands of people.

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Winter storm causes icy roads across swath of South

Don Petersen/AP

Greg Jans, left, and Stacey Hash get in some cross county skiing in their southwest city neighborhood in Roanoke, Va., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Snow continues to fall in southwest Virginia. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

Don Petersen/AP

Walt Unks/AP

A tractor trailer is stuck on an off ramp from Business I-40 on to Stratford Road, US 158, as snow falls Sunday morning, Dec. 9, 2018 in Winston-Salem, N.C. (Walt Unks/Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

Walt Unks/AP

Dean Hoffmeyer/AP

A snow plow is followed closely by cars as it clears US301 in Hanover County, Va. on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018 (Dean Hoffmeyer/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP)

Dean Hoffmeyer/AP

Stephanie Klein-Davis/AP

John Woodrum, shovels his car on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Roanoke, Va. A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday — causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses to hundreds of thousands of people. (Stephanie Klein-Davis /The Roanoke Times via AP)

Joanna Montano walks her dogs; Jasmine Squishy Face and Spook, in the snow early Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018 outside her downtown Roanoke apartment building. Grateful to be off work she was not excited about the fact her dogs had to be taken outside. (Stephanie Klein-Davis/The Roanoke Times via AP)

Stephanie Klein-Davis/AP

Stephanie Klein-Davis/AP

Keith Palmer with KAK Construction plows the terrace and walkway along the 111 Franklin Plaza building in Roanoke, Va.m early Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The crew said they had to arrive as soon as the snow started falling. (Stephanie Klein-Davis/The Roanoke Times via AP)

Stephanie Klein-Davis/AP

Kathy Kmonicek/AP

A dock and gazebo is covered with a thick layer of snow on Lake James, Sunday, December 9, 2018 in Morganton, N.C. Over a foot of snow fell in the area creating a winter wonderland. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Kathy Kmonicek/AP

Chuck Burton/AP

A snow-covered car is parked outside a home in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday - causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Chuck Burton/AP

Chuck Burton/AP

A man jogs with his dog down a snow-covered street in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday - causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Chuck Burton/AP

Chuck Burton/AP

Joslyn Fontanella, 8, takes a break from shoveling a walkway to taste some snow in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. A massive storm brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain across a wide swath of the South on Sunday, causing dangerously icy roads, immobilizing snowfalls and power losses to hundreds of thousands of people.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Chuck Burton/AP

Accidents on snow-covered interstates caused major delays, hundreds of flights were canceled and drivers in North Carolina and Virginia got stuck in snow or lost control on icy patches.

The Grinch is caught plowing snow in North Carolina

Meanwhile, kids and the young at heart took advantage of the early winter snow with snowball fights, sledding and snowmen.

Police in North Carolina and Virginia said they'd responded to hundreds of snow-related traffic accidents as of Sunday afternoon, as cars, trucks and tractor-trailers all struggled with the snow and ice.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper strongly urged residents to stay off the roads Sunday, asking drivers not to put lives of first responders needlessly at risk. Cooper said emergency crews, including the National Guard, worked overnight to clear traffic accidents on major roadways.

"Stay put if you can," Cooper said. "Wrap a few presents, decorate the tree, watch some football."

Five members of a dive team searched the Neuse River in Kinston, North Carolina, for a missing truck driver Sunday after a tractor-trailer ran off a road and into the river, WRAL-TV reported .

Governors and local officials in several states declared emergencies ahead of the storm crossing several Southern states, which hit portions of North Carolina and Virginia particularly hard.

Virginia State Police said Interstate 81 in far southwest Virginia was particularly dangerous, with snow coming down faster Sunday afternoon than crews could clear it. Police said several tractor-trailers slid off the highway.

Officials warned residents to prepare emergency kits and stay off roads in impacted areas. Several schools districts in North Carolina and Virginia announced they'll be closed Monday.

"Virginians should take all necessary precautions to ensure they are prepared for winter weather storm impacts," said Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.

The National Weather Service said a "prolonged period of snow" began late Saturday and would last until Monday in the region, with the heaviest snow expected in northwest North Carolina and southern Virginia. Some areas of North Carolina and Virginia saw more than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow by Sunday afternoon.

More than 300,000 power outages were reported across the region with the majority of those — about 240,000 — in North Carolina, according to poweroutage.us. Parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia also saw outages.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the sixth busiest airport in the country, said American Airlines reduced its operations, with more than 1,000 flights canceled on Sunday.

American Airlines also issued a travel alert for nine airports throughout the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, meaning passengers may be able to change travel plans without a fee.

Travelers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Cancellations were reported on flights from as far as the Midwest.